Heartland City
Basic Information The capital of the Norad Empire, and the presently largest city on Norad, Heartland City is your typical megapolis, covering a vast amount of terrain, stretching from the western edge of Heartland Lake, north towards Karnak, and nearly to the southern edge of the plateau, while constant expansion causes it to grow ever further east. Most denizens of Norad appear to reside in the city, or spend their time there, as noted by the regular and often violent clashes between the forces of good and evil. At the exact center of the city lies Heartland Tower, an immense structure that rises an untold number of meters into the sky, towering over every other structure present. Should any building happen to be reaching the height of Heartland Tower, the structure will find itself dwarfed soon after completion by the central tower mysteriously growing taller than it. Functioning as a hub for both the military and civilian authorities, many Generals have offices here, as well as most notable government positions, though whether or not anyone even uses their given office spaces is up to them. Oddly enough, should the center of the city ever shift from the exact middle of Heartland Tower, the plaza the tower sits upon will shift to the center, the exact process remaining unknown. Unlike most major megapolises, Heartland City was meant to be eco friendly from almost day one, as the city runs on renewable and clean energy, ranging from wind and solar, to the now closed Rune Reactor and Warp Reactor stations. Very few plants in the city produce any sort of pollution, as per very strict laws that offer benefits to corporations who go the extra mile to benefit the landscape. The city also has numerous open spaces and parks, the largest park being located where the old city center used to be, and is fittingly named Central Park. Monorails run both on overhead tracks, and below the city streets as subways. In that sense the city is very much a vibrant mix of nature and technology. While originally divided into nine major districts, with the Government at the center and the other eight forming a band around it, Heartland City has since moved past such regimented planning, and instead builds structures as needed, it's not uncommon to spot movie theaters right next door to a multi story apartment building, or an army base nestled next to a golf course. However, even these new setups still fall some preordained pattern, zoning ordinances handed out often result in people being set up exactly where they would be best situated, such as school teachers getting their schools close to students, or major manufacturers along the major highways that run through the city. An important, and notable factor to consider, is that the city is always regenerating. No matter what happens, the city will always recover from damage, no matter how violent or dramatic the situation. This is done through a massive network of nanites, which help build or makeup large parts of the cityscape, a concept taken from the now deceased AI ADAM, creation of Doctor Eggman, whose base on Mobius was run completely by nanites. Where the nanites come from isn’t precisely too clear, but there’s always a constant stream of them, ready to repair or expand the city as needed. From fixing holes in pavements caused by servants letting off their Noble Phantasms to rebuilding entire skyscrapers after giant monsters plow through them, the city’s ability to recover from almost everything is something to be respected. Despite the fact that the Emperor has taken great pains to ensure the wellbeing of his people, and his own great successes at ruling, there are still sections of the city stricken by poverty, or by gang warfare. While in the latter case this may be encouraged for the sake of giving lower scale heroes activities to do, the former is an ongoing battle by the government, even with the socialist style free housing that every citizen of the Empire is offered. That is another thing to note, most of those who reside in the “slums” are more than likely non-citizens, or people who have refused to become ones for whatever reasons. Or may even be former refugee camps turned into proper districts of their own. Like most major cities, Heartland City is known for its cultural districts, from the ever growing Chinatown to the small Goblin population who shine shoes on street corners, there’s plenty of diversity for those seeking their own kind, with of course places for mixing things up around in plenty. The city has some of the cleanest sources of drinking water on the planet, as powerful decontainment plants constantly filter the water that is open to anyone who needs it, even producing new water from thin air as needed for those who may be facing droughts. Underground aqueducts, as well as the city sewers function as means to deliver water to people. Despite its name suggesting filth, the city sewers are sparkling and clean, though some areas are of course dark and damp due to being dug out by people needing places to squat for whatever reason. An entire culture can be found beneath the streets, in both the form of a black market, and just folks who don’t like the sunlight or prefer the underground, such as members of Subterranean Command. Of course, as on the streets above, fights are common underground, and sometimes erupt to the surface. Additionally, despite an apparent blindness of the locals, massive space elevators, left over from a plot by the infant Brotherhood of Metallix, rise above parts of the cityscape, which are the only known structures that are actually taller than Heartland Tower. Despite their nature, they aren’t currently in use, though work is underway to refurbish them for usage, following a push back into space stemming from a desire to reclaim what was lost when Doctor Eggman blasted Norad into the Forest of Beginnings. Regardless of one’s reasons for being in the city, Heartland City is open to all who come, having no walls or gates on the outer edges, only open roads. While this makes it seemingly easier for invasions to occur, the openness also makes it easier to defend, as opposed to trying to target tight clusters of buildings. Minor Locations Events Set Within